[A1641/8/135]¹

[Supplication of John Drymmie for a commission to the provost and bailies of Montrose for trying the murder of Isobel Drymmie]

Supplication of John Drymmie for a commission²

To your majesty and estates of this present parliament, humbly means and shows I, your servant, John Drymmie in Kirkside, brother and nearest of kin to the late Isobel Drymmie, spouse to Robert Walker in Charleton within the parish of Montrose, that where the said Robert, having violated his oath and promise made to the said late Isobel Drymmie, his spouse, the time of the solemnisation of their marriage, and having fallen in adultery with Margaret Graham, sister to David Graham in Charleton, for the which they were accused before the session of Montrose and ordained never to be seen again in company with others, and to make satisfaction for their bygone misbehaviour; and the said Robert Walker, David Graham and Margaret Graham, his sister, conceiving that the foresaid sin of adultery was detected by the said late Isobel Drymmie, spouse to the said Robert, (howsoever it was otherwise notorious and known to all their neighbours and parishioners about), they, resolving and taking advice and counsel amongst themselves how to be rid of the said late Isobel Drymmie, resolved to put her to death privately, which the said Robert Walker had often of before avowed. Which malicious and cruel intention they upon the [...] day of May last, after 10 o'clock at night, that the poor woman had gone to bed, that in execution by strangling her with a cord or kerchief and thereafter carried her to the cross of Morphie and broke up a plank of one of [Sir Robert Graham], laird of Morphie's cruives nearest the land, wherein at that time there was no water, and shut her in there. Which murder is most apparently done by the said persons and there are many evident and probable presumptions against them, namely: that the said David Graham's face was scarred, his nose on both sides bled, his thumb bitten, which was known to be well the night before. Likewise the poor woman was heard by neighbours crying for help. And these persons being tried both by the Laird of Morphie and provost and bailies of Montrose were found to vary in their declarations, so that it is presumed and thought by the whole country that they are guilty of the said murder. Therefore we most humbly beseech your sacred majesty and estates of this present parliament that you would grant a commission for taking and apprehending of the said Robert Walker, David Graham and Margaret Graham, his sister, and present them to the provost and bailies of Montrose, to be tried and examined regarding the said murder and for torturing them to make them confess; and being found guilty, to put them to death, that the land may be purged of sin. And your sacred majesty's and estates' answer.

16 November 1641

The king's majesty and estates of parliament grant commission to the provost and bailies of Montrose for trying the murder within written and apprehending the persons within contained, to be examined by them thereupon and to report to the council.

[John Elphinstone, lord] Balmerino, in presence of the lords of parliament³